Morgan Kenny resigned from the position in March

LAURIE WEIR

Montague Township is looking for a councillor to fill a vacant position left after the resignation of Morgan Kenny, who was acclaimed in the 2022 election. 

Kenny said she had nothing but good things to say about her fellow councillors and staff in the township. She has two children and said her time was needed at home, for now. 

“I have an infant daughter who was coming with me to council meetings, and a four-year-old son at home,” she told this publication. “I found it was a bit too much on my plate. I wanted to be home in the evenings with my kids. Those first early years are very important.”

Kenny said she had a “wonderful experience” on council, and thanked her community for putting her in the council chair. 

“Councillors have been wonderful,” she said. “I can’t say enough great things about the staff at the township. All in all, it was a wonderful experience, and when these guys are a bit older and don’t need me as much, I’ll certainly be looking to return.”

At the March 5 meeting, council “regretfully accepted the resignation” of Kenny, who said she’d be happy to remain the township’s representative on the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority.

During the regular meeting of Lanark County council on March 13, Kenny was removed from the Traffic Advisory Working Group during the striking committee report. 

Kenny said she appreciated getting a better understanding of the decisions that council is making, and “having that perspective that it’s not as easy as sending calcium trucks down the road. There is a lot more to it. When you’re a resident, you don’t have that whole understanding of some things can’t be just that simple.”

Kenny said she didn’t find the position an overwhelming one, because of the “excellent staff at the township.”

here were no “real contentious” issues as part of council, she said, and “we seemed to come to decisions easily and worked as a team.”

She said it was nice to get Montague to participate in World Thinking Day – an initiative by Girl Guides Canada.
“Montague Township now lights up the municipal building with blue lights in honour of World Thinking Day and Girl Guides,” she said. “That was nice to be part of that.”

Montague council is comprised of Reeve Karen Jennings, Deputy Reeve Jeffrey Carroll, and councillors Jim Abbass and Gerald Crabtree. 

“The township council and staff would like to thank Coun. Morgan Kenny for the time and dedication that she put into the township during her tenure as a municipal councillor,” a release from the township states. 

“We wish her all the best and look forward to continuing to see her and her family at the community events.”

Kenny added: “Thanks to the community and I hope they are willing to have me again in the future. I’m certainly going to continue to be involved in the recreation events and different events and bring my family.”

She said her son is “quite well known at rec events,” as the button maker. “He makes a lot of buttons.”

APPOINTMENT

Seven people have put their names forward for the vacant seat, including: Pat Dolan, Trevor Johnson, Margaret Kubisewsky, Tom May, Brian Gibbs, Klaas Van Der Meer and Jack Cole. 

Five questions from the public will be asked during the council meeting to each applicant during the meeting on April 16 at Rosedale Hall. The questions will be pulled at random and asked of ALL applicants.

Questions must be submitted beforehand to the Clerk by April 16 at 2 p.m. either at the township office in writing or via email to clerkadministrator@township.montague.on.ca